Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at Background Briefing.org.

I'm me and Masters, and today we'll examine a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with the United States poised to enter another forever war if Israel does not succeed

in ending Iran's nuclear program and bringing about regime change, and if Trump joins in

with what looks like the winning side now, but just like Iraq, it could turn out to be the

losing side in the long run.

Joining us is Stephen Simon, who worked on the National Security Council staff as Senior Director

for Middle Eastern and North African Affairs and also worked on the NSA staff on counterterrorism

and Middle East security policy. These assignments followed a 15-year career in the United States Department of State,

and he's currently a fellow in international affairs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

and the co-author of The Age of Sacred Terror,

and his latest book is Grand Delusion, The Rise and Fall of American Ambition in the Middle East.

We will discuss his article at Foreign Affairs. America should end Israel's war on Iran, not

join it. Then we'll look into the ignorance and hubris that led to the Iraq war, repeating itself

following yesterday's embarrassing Senate testimony by Secretary

of Defense Hegset, who clearly does not have a day after strategy should Trump decide to bomb

Iran. Joining us is Adam Weinstein, the deputy director of the Middle East program at the

Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a former Marine

deployed to Afghanistan. He previously worked as senior law and policy analyst at the National

Iranian American Council. We will discuss his article at the nation, Trump is blowing up soft power

and he's shooting America's diplomats in the foot. Then finally we will speak with Mark Fitzpatrick,

an associate fellow for strategy, technology, technology and arms control, and former executive

...